“So, where to from here?” Bran asked, looking at me expectantly.

  I hadn’t so much as reached out with my magic to locate the fountain, because I didn’t think I was powerful enough to make it work from halfway around the world. Even now, I had so little to go on—I didn’t know what it looked like, or whether it was even here. All I had were legends. And all of those legends suggested we were in the wrong place now, though, and travelling South was our best bet.

  “We’ll catch a flight to the South Island, and I’ll do some research as we go. I have a rough idea of where we’re heading, but I can’t be certain.”

  “Sounds like we’re heading out on a wild goose chase,” Rocco said. He clapped his hands together and let out a whoop of excitement. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him.

  “Please don’t tell me we’re paying him by the day.” I glared at Bran.

  “We’re not paying him, just paying for him.”

  “Thank goodness, though I know how much he can eat and drink.” I turned and pointed a finger at Rocco. “Those costs don’t include strippers and whore houses.”

  “Aw, Never, you’re ruining my fun!” He laughed and winked at me, then patted his pocket. “But I came prepared. Don’t you worry about me.”

  “Oh, it’s not you I’m worrying about. It’s the women of New Zealand. All of them.”

  He burst out laughing again, slapping his belly.

  “Get us a taxi, will you?” I asked Bran. “And maybe a stiff drink. I might need one.”

  He handed me a hip flask, and I took it without asking, taking a long pull before I handed it back. “You’re my savior,” I said.

  “You can thank Steve for that one next time you see him.” Bran shook his head, laughter in his eyes, and then pulled out his phone.

  I took the chance to look around then, taking in the vast green space. There were a few buildings around, mostly industrial by the looks, and they seemed out of place in this valley, low hills rolling away to each side. The sky seemed bluer though, purer than back home, where there was so much air pollution. A chilled wind swept in and I shuddered.

  “Totally didn’t think about the fact it’s an entirely different season here,” I muttered, unzipping my bag and pulling out my jacket. It still wasn’t quite enough to take the bite from the wind, but it was definitely better than nothing.

  “Only about a twenty-minute wait,” Bran said, putting his phone back in his pocket.

  “You’re kidding, right? It takes more time than that to get a cab back home, and right now we’re in the middle of nowhere.”

  He shrugged, wrapping an arm around me and drawing me in, his bigger body protecting me from the wind. “Enjoy it while it lasts. They’ll drop us at the airport, and we’ll just have to wait for the next available flight.”

  “Gives me a good chance to people watch, check out what might take my fancy,” Rocco inserted.

  “Oh my god, were you always like this?” I asked him. He just winked. I shook my head and turned back to the hills.

  Mist was forming in soft waves, touching the hilltops like fingers stroking the curves of a lover. It made me think about one myth of this land, about how the sky father and earth mother were separated; spending all of time yearning for each other. It was heart breaking to think about that, if it were actually true.

  I’d spent some time on the plane reading through some downloaded material on the country. Hopefully, it would come in handy.

  The cab arrived, and we piled in, Rocco in the front, chatting incessantly to the driver, who nodded in all the right places, and even laughed occasionally.

  “You okay?” Bran asked. “You’re quiet.”

  “Thinking,” I said. “And trying to figure out where we might find this. If we find this.” I sighed. “Even the P- my client thought it was a bit of a fool’s errand, but here we are.”

  “You can find anything,” Bran murmured, pressing a kiss into my hair.

  “I can only find it if it exists, but thanks.”

  We were coming into the city now, the buildings tall, but not like those in New York. It was a milder city, with its tallest building being some kind of tower with a needle on top. And everywhere, trees dotting the streets and filling the spaces between buildings, like they’d made some kind of commitment to letting nature reclaim the city.

  “It’s weird, isn’t it?” Bran said.

  “I think it’s beautiful.”

  Bran shrugged. “It is, just, you know, different to back home.”

  I had to agree. It was kind of alien. Possibly the most foreign place I’d seen, and I’d been to a lot of places in between. It was like New Zealand had kept its origins, rather than meshing with the wider world and joining the melting pot it had become.

  I could hear the planes before I saw them, smell them in the air. Our cab pulled over in front of the terminal. I paid the fare, and we got out, another couple already clambering into our empty vehicle, and moved into the building. It was warm inside, and it was a relief to get away from the wind, which seemed to have followed us into the city from the airstrip.

  “So how are we going to find—”

  “Don’t ask, Rocco. Never always finds what she’s looking for, though we don’t even know if this thing exists. Just enjoy the ride.” Bran clapped Rocco on the back and grinned. “And enjoy the talent! New Zealand is full of lovely looking ladies.” He turned his head to follow the path of one as he said this, and Rocco did the same. She was tall and curvy, her tailored suit clinging to her body in all the right places. Rocco let out a long, low whistle of appreciation.

  “Got it, pal. Enjoy the sights.”

  I rolled my eyes at the two of them and made my way to the counter.

  “How long until the next flight south?” I asked.

  The teller rolled her eyes and pointed up. Of course, there was a big board over her booth, and there were a couple of hours to kill before we left. Guess I was feeling fatigued after the flight…

  “Right, three tickets to Christchurch.” I handed over my credit card and turned to look at the men while she processed the tickets. Bran had found a coffee cart and was waiting for an order, and Rocco was still scouting out the local talent. I shook my head with a laugh.

  “Here you go, Miss. Just make sure you’re here on time. Boarding is approximately twenty minutes before the flight leaves.”

  “Got it, thank you.” I flashed her a grin and her face softened a little as I moved away, letting the next person in line step forward.

  Bran came to meet me, passing a paper mug my way. I inhaled deeply before taking a sip. “Not bad for airport coffee,” I said.

  “It better be for the price.” He shook his head, but his expression changed when he had a sip. “Okay, it’s worth it.”

  I nudged Bran’s arm with my elbow and nodded towards Rocco. “Do you think he’ll start drooling soon? I don’t even know what to expect from him.”

  “Once we’re on the job, he’ll be all focus. Just wait and see. And in the meantime, let him have his fun.”

  Rocco was approaching an older woman with fuzzy greying hair. She smiled at him, glancing over the top of thick glasses frames. Rocco seemed to have said the right thing because when he offered her his arm, she took it.

  “You’ve got two hours,” I yelled at him. He looked over his shoulder, giving me a wink and a thumbs up, and then he was leaning in, whispering something into the woman’s ear. Her laugh was loud and tinkling, and I couldn’t help but smile. “At least he’s picked someone his own age.” I let out a sigh and scanned the area for a bench. Bran and I moved over to it and settled in.

  “Thanks for letting him tag along,” Bran said. “I know you didn’t really want to, but… It just felt like the right thing to do. He’s been flailing around a bit. I think he’s ready to step back from the job, but shit, what will he do? A normal life has got to seem pretty boring after this.”

  I didn’t respond, just watched as Rocco and the lady disappeared out of sight. I hadn’t been doing this job for as long as Rocco, not by a long shot, but I couldn't imagine life without it. The travel, the exploration, the adventure.

  The money.

  “I hope he’s got some savings,” I said. “Or he’s going to be bored shitless.”

  “With moves like that, I’m sure he can keep himself occupied.” Bran laughed, the grin on his face appreciative of the older man’s game.

  I rolled my eyes. “Don’t tell me that your late life goal is to be a lecherous old bastard as well?”

  Bran gave me a considered look, as though he were assessing my question. “I guess we’ll see what happens. Maybe, if something better doesn’t come along.” His words were laden with meaning and sent a pleasant tingle down my spine.

  We’d never talked about the future, but I’d always known Bran would be in my life in one form or another. What that might look like was undecided, but he’d be there until he died.

  I’d be there for him until he did. Whoever went first.

  I hoped it was me.

  “You going to do your magic?” Bran said it so casually I almost missed the emphasis on that last word.

  “I should, yeah.” I knocked back the last of my coffee and grabbed my bag, scanning the space until I found the bathrooms. “Back in a minute.”

  “I’ll be here,” he said, leaning against the wall and looking like he belonged here.

  He could do that anywhere. It was one of the many perks of having him as my partner. Where I could sometimes grate people the wrong way, he could set others at ease. I wish I’d had the skill myself, but the next best thing was having him.

  I pushed open the door and picked a stall, flipping the seat cover down and sitting on it to rummage through my bag. I pulled out the map of New Zealand and balanced it on my knees before digging into the bag again for the dowsing crystal.

  This usually worked, and I hoped like hell it did this time. But having very little to go on meant I might not get lucky. Taking a deep breath, I held the leather cord up and focused my thoughts on the fountain. Not on the way it looked, or the way it sounded, but what it could do for the prince or anyone else who obtained it. Whatever it was. Liquid, solid, a substance that could give eternal life.

  The crystal moved, tugging to the left—towards the South Island. That had been my initial pull, but to have it confirmed now that we were on land was a very good thing. I folded the map in half and focused in again, closing my eyes and letting my magic flow, letting the crystal guide me.

  And then it stopped, dragged towards my leg with a thump. I opened my eyes, a shiver running down my spine as the magic soaked back into me.

  I had no idea where it had come from, but I’d never questioned it. It was a part of me, the same way my silver hair was. I certainly wasn’t the only person with abilities, but they were kept on the down low, and I’d been more than happy not to speak of mine.

  The crystal pointed to a place called Milford Sound. It was way down the South Island, on the west coast.

  Of course, it was in a remote location… These things always were.

  I folded the map up and pulled out my phone, connecting to the airport Wi-Fi and doing a quick search. Looked like we needed to head to Queenstown, then catch another flight directly there. No doubt rife with tourists, though the weather was getting chillier, so hopefully there weren’t going to be too many people around.

  It would be much easier for me if there weren’t, but then, it wasn’t often that things went my way.

  Chapter five

  Once we hit Christchurch, we’d had to wait hours for the next flight, and then spend the night in Queenstown before catching our flight to Milford Sound. This plane was small and afforded a good view of the land; I could see out both side windows, and the front.

  Everything was beautiful here, more remote than the north island, more trees, more bodies of water gleaming pristine in the autumn sun. The curves and angles of the mountains and ranges that we flew over made me thankful I’d chosen to fly instead of catch a bus or drive in.

  But none of that prepared me for my first glimpse of the Sound. It opened up beneath us, steep peaks surrounding it, reflected in water so deep it seemed black from up here. Almost anything could have been living in those inky depths.

  A shudder crawled up my spine, and I hoped like hell I wasn’t going to have to dive into that, because it wasn’t all that long ago that I’d had an encounter with some sharks, and something worse could easily live here. Something alien. A chill ran across my arms at the thought, so I opened myself up, let loose a sliver of magic, not so much that anyone else could see it, just enough to feel… Reaching, stretching out below me. I peered through the window, my eyes locking on a mighty waterfall, pounding the fiord below with water, mist spreading out from it so thickly that it looked like miniature clouds.

  “There,” I whispered.

  “Huh?” Bran leaned over, pressing against me as he looked out the window.

  “That’s where we need to go.”

  He sighed and leaned back. “Okay then. Guess we’re canoeing.”

  “Probably the only way to get there without attracting unnecessary attention.” But I could see there were other boats around, and a few kayaks as well. We were going to have a hard time going unnoticed; if someone spotted our vessels unattended, an alert might be raised, search parties sent out. I needed another idea. Maybe a walk nearby that we could get dropped off, and a way to contact them for pick up.

  Yeah, that would work. I could make that happen.

  The nose of the plane dipped, and we turned, giving an even better view of the Sound. My mouth dropped open and an unbidden sigh came out.

  “It’s stunning,” Bran said.

  “If this is the last thing I see before I die, I’ll be a happy man.” The hitch in Rocco’s voice made me turn towards him, only to see him wiping a tear from his cheek. “Thanks for indulging an old man’s wish, lass. In case I forget to say that later.” He gave me a nod, pressing his lips together. I felt my brows dip at this hidden depth he was showing and reached past my seat to squeeze his arm.

  “My pleasure,” I said.

  “Our pleasure,” Bran corrected. I laughed and rolled my eyes, the tender moment shattering. We all sat back, indulging in our own thoughts, or just taking in the beauty of this land, while the pilot brought us down on a long strip of concrete that looked seriously out of place here. There were a few buildings dotted around, not a real airport just a place for planes to come and go from. A shuttle waited there, ready to take us to the lodge just up the road. The wind whipped around as we stepped from the plane, bringing with it the bitter chill of the early snow we’d seen on some peaks.

  I climbed into the front seat of the shuttle and buckled up, stashing my bag at my feet.

  “Hey there, nice to meet you. I’m Stan, and I’ll be your driver.” He gave me a wink, his brown skin warm, dark lines of tribal tattoos wending up his arm.

  “Never,” I said, holding out my hand. He frowned at me, confusion in his eyes. “That’s my name. Sorry.”

  “Haven’t heard that one before, and I get a lot of weird names around here.” He froze, realizing what he’s just said. “Not that yours is weird, just… You know.”

  “It’s fine.” I shrugged and glanced into the back as Bran slid the door closed.

  “Let’s get going then. There’s a stew on for dinner tonight, and fresh bread.”

  “Sounds good,” Bran said from in back. “Hope they made an enormous pot because this guy has a bottomless pit for a stomach.” He pointed his thumb at Rocco, who laughed in response.

  “Gotta keep my energy levels up for the ladies, Bran. If you had any game, you’d know about that.”

  I shook my head, only half listening to their banter as Stan drove up the road. It really wasn’t far, five minutes tops, but it was a windy track, barely two lanes, and I appreciated the ease with which he drove.

  We were close now. At least, I could feel the thrum of the fountain as a constant presence, a tickle at the base of my spine. Hopefully I’d be able to go to sleep tonight, but even if I didn’t, I wanted to be out there first thing, getting closer to it.

  “Are there some good walking tracks around here? Maybe out by that big waterfall.” I tried to sound nonchalant as I asked. “It’s super pretty, but I’d rather see it from land than the water.”

  “Seeing it from the sky wasn’t enough?” Stan raised an eyebrow, his lips turning up in good humor. “There are a couple tracks. We’ve got a guy who can drop you off at the nearest landing. We’ll get you a locator beacon when you check in, you just switch that bad boy on when you’re ready and we’ll know exactly where to get you from.”

  He swung the shuttle into a gravel driveway leading up to a big wooden lodge.

  “You say it like that’s a thing that happens all the time. Like people get lost?”

  He shrugged as he pulled into a carpark with a sign stating ‘staff only.’ “Yeah, regular enough that we have locator beacons now.” He killed the engine and looked me up and down. “But you’ve got good boots, and a decent pack, and I’d bet you’re not some tourist ticking off the hot spots. You should be fine.” Stan pushed open the door and got out, then he looked back at me. “Just, if you hear a whistle, long and low? Don’t go looking for its origin.” He swung the door shut and walked towards the front steps.

  “What?” I said, frowning in confusion. “What did you say?” I yelled it out the door as I opened it.

  Stan threw a look over his shoulder, grinning hard. “I’m just pulling your leg, Never. Nothing to worry about here.”

  I grabbed my bag, but couldn’t shake the thought that maybe he wasn’t just pulling my leg. Maybe I did need to be careful.

  Maybe other people had come searching and there was a reason they’d never found it…

  I guess we’d find out tomorrow.

  Chapter six

  True to his word, Stan had got us the hook up. We’d packed slightly lighter, leaving the gear that wouldn’t be useful in our rooms at the lodge. Just the essentials this trip, and hopefully it would be enough. In most situations, you could use what you had, or what you could find; I just had to hope that it would be enough.

 

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